For many of us, the meaning of Thanksgiving includes a large feast with friends and family, an extended weekend, probably some football, and quite possibly a last look at “normal” life before Christmas decorations cover every nook and cranny of the world. This wonderfully busy holiday is, somehow, already here—just one week away! As hostesses of the festivities, it is our job to make sure that people are fed, happy, and generally having a good time. Doing all of these things while keeping everyone mindful of what they have to be grateful for is no easy feat. And then, because we are also the family historians, or memory keepers, we will want to scrapbook the whole experience afterward.

Challenge accepted!

Since we can’t come over to each of your homes to assist in meal preparation (or the aftermath!), we came up with a printable to help with the gratitude portion of the holiday.

As your guests arrive, or whenever it naturally fits during your celebrations, ask each of them to fill out one of these cards. During a designated time, a lot of people like doing this sort of thing before dinner, have everyone share their thoughts. Make sure to keep the cards so that later you can use them to scrapbook about your evening.

Another fun way to use these printables is within your own family. Have each family member complete one of the cards and then create a banner to display in your home as a reminder of all the wonderful things you have to be grateful for.

Even though Thanksgiving is right around the corner, it is not too late to add some personal touches to your plans! For additional free Thanksgiving printables, including conversation starters and thank you cards, make sure to revisit our post from a couple of years ago, here.

What are some ways that you keep the spirit of gratitude during Thanksgiving? Let’s help each other out—the more ideas we share the better! 🙂

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We’ve all done it: dwelt on the thought of that thing we just don’t have. But how often do we think about that thing that we do have—or, let’s be honest, the MANY, even innumerable, things?

There are blessings in our lives we cannot count in the typical sense of the word. It wouldn’t be possible to assign a number to all of the miracles we see on a daily basis! But we can “count” our blessings in so many other ways. In our words, and especially in our attitudes, the world can see our grateful hearts.

Throughout this month, we at Close To My Heart want to celebrate the joy of gratitude—both of feeling it and of showing it, because, as William Arthur Ward once said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” Whether or not you celebrate your gratitude with a turkey this month, you can join us as we experiment with creative ways to say thank you.

First off, a simple and beautiful way to display your gratitude: the Designed Décor Colonial White frame! With the help of the Pathfinding and Wanderful paper packets, delicate golden embossing, and several fun stamp sets, this frame is a showcase of gratitude.

The beauty of a display such as this is its accessibility and versatility—you can swap out photos as often as you like! If you want to focus on a certain family member every week (or every day, if you’re feeling ambitious!), fill it with pictures of only them. If you want to focus on a different aspect of your life every few days, group your pictures beforehand and have them ready to swap out: family, pets, nature, neighbors, friends, specific life events.

They’re so easy to rearrange, and just a few themed shapes cut from your Cricut® machine will accent your photos nicely. Use a mini clothespin, hook clips, 3-D foam tape, or Glue Dots™ to attach your photos and artwork.

What a wonderful way to jumpstart your gratitude for the series of fortunate events that is your life.

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Jeanette Lynton

Meet Jeanette Lynton—wife, mother, artist, and Founder & CEO of one of the world’s leading companies in the papercrafting industry. This blog is dedicated to all who share her love of creativity. Visit often, share your stories, and become family!

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